Text 33] The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis 67

fools and rascals do not see by intelligence this supreme authority, the
Supreme Person. In the Sruti-mantra it is said:

bhisésmad vatah pavate
bhisodeti siiryah
bhisésmdd agnis candras ca
mrtyur dhdvati paficamah
(Taittiriya Upanisad 2.8)

It is out of fear of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the wind is
blowing, that the sun is distributing heat and light, and that death is
chasing everyone. Thus there is a supreme controller, as confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita (9.10): mayadhyaksena prakrtih sityate sacarécaram.
This material manifestation is working so well because of the supreme
controller. Any intelligent person, therefore, can understand that there
is a supreme controller. Furthermore, the supreme controller Himself
appears as Lord Krsna, as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and as Lord
Ramacandra to give us instructions and to show us by example how to
surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet those who are
duskrti, the lowest of men, do not surrender (na mari duskrtino midhah
prapadyante naradhaméh).

In Bhagavad-gita the Lord clearly says, mrtyuh sarva-haras caéham:
“T am all-devouring death.” Thus mrtyu, or death, is the representative
who takes everything away from the living entity who has accepted a ma-
terial body. No one can say, “I do not fear death.”’ This is a false proposi-
tion. Everyone fears death. However, one who seeks shelter of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead can be saved from death. One may
argue, ‘Does the devotee not die?’’ The answer is that a devotee cer-
tainly must give up his body, for the body is material. The difference is,
however, that for one who surrenders to Krsna fully and who is pro-
tected by Krsna, the present body is his last; he will not again receive a
material body to be subjected to death. This is assured in Bhagavad-gita
(4.9). Tyaktva deharh punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna: a devotee,
after giving up his body, does not accept a material body, but returns
home, back to Godhead. We are always in danger because at any moment
death can take place. It is not that only Gajendra, the King of the
